


Enchanted

by ebonycwillows



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Arranged Marriage kinda, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Lokitty, Slow Burn, Witch!Reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ebonycwillows/pseuds/ebonycwillows
Summary: Loki never wanted to marry. Why would he? Alone, he has the freedom to do anything he desires. He has no-one to impress, no-one to waste time on. He could do whatever he desired. But Odin was pushing him towards marriage as the younger prince, so Loki and Frigga came up with a plot to help him keep his freedom and satisfy the All-Father. Where do you come in? A young witch practicing illegal arts; her life turned upside down by a visiting cat.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel) & Reader, Loki (Marvel) / Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First fic! Criticism, advice, comments, and thoughts are all appreciated. I will probably end up using prompts from my Pinterest board so if you're interested in written things from more talented people, here's a link: https://www.pinterest.com/ebonycwillows/the-board-of-much-needed-writing-advice/

Loki stormed out of the throne room for the fourth time this week. Today’s lady was worse than all the others combined. She had actually tried to insinuate they had had relations before! Usually, he would have been impressed with cunning like that if it had actually been executed well. She couldn’t say a word without turning red. Even the All-Father had seen through it, not to mention the God of Lies himself.

Thor had been waiting outside the doors and ran to catch up. “What did you think of Lady Amorthadite?”

Loki scoffed. He couldn’t even bother to think of her at all. He had places to be and things to do. “Thor, I told you I don’t wish to discuss such things with you.”

Thor ignored his wish as always. “Father is bound to find someone for you! There has to be somebody out there that will enjoy your tricks enough for you to enjoy them as a companion.”

Loki just stared at his brother. First of all, tricks??? His mischief was a delicate balance of magic and science, something no simple mind could understand, much less enjoy. It wasn’t a set of “tricks” one used to impress common company. It was a set of tools he had at his disposal to accomplish his goals. Second, he loved the freedom of being alone. There was nobody to impress, nobody who could break his trust, and nobody he had to devote time to. He could do whatever he desired whenever he desired. All his time was his to spend. Who in their right mind would give up freedom and power for company? He was a prince! He had people clamoring to meet him. What use were they to him aside from tools?

“If I find someone that interest me longer than a conversation, I’ll let you know.”

Thor shook his head and turned the other way. One day, his brother would open his heart to love and companionship. One day.

As soon as he was alone again, Loki turned towards the doors leading outside and strode to his mother’s gardens. He had places to be and things to do.

“Did Thor keep you?”

Despite his protests and attempts to stay solitary, Loki relaxed slightly when he was his mother tending to her flowers. Even a child that hated everyone could never hate or deny their mother. “Yes. He wished to know what I thought of the latest woman father set up for me to meet.”

“And what did you think of her?”

He didn’t notice the smile in her voice. “I have never been more bored in my life. Mother, she tried to lie to me! She wasn’t even good at it!”

Frigga got the feeling that it was the fact Lady Amorthadite was a bad liar than the fact she tried something like that bored Loki more.

“I sometimes wonder how father chooses these women. Does he just see a high station and look no further? They all just seek to impress me for a day so I pick them and they can stab me in the back.”

Frigga laughed softly as she stood up. “If he did, I doubt I would be here.”

Loki allowed a soft smile. Even the most boar-headed of men wouldn’t have been able to pass up Frigga. She was the best thing that could have happened to Asgard and the one good decision Odin made.

“So how is the spell coming along?”

“I believe it should be done within a week. I can transform fully but I sometimes have trouble keeping my focus and not letting it loose.”

Frigga could see her son was proud of mastering this latest, most difficult spell, but disappointed in his lack of control. Not that it was actually a lack of control. Loki had the greatest focus of anyone his age, but magic was a delicate art that sometimes needed a little push. She glanced around her garden until she spotted a shining blue fruit.

“I believe I have something for that.” She glided over to the other side of the greenery and plucked the moon thimbleberry. “Eat this, and your thoughts will be sharper when you’re transformed.”

Loki gazed at the fruit curiously. “Moon thimbleberry?” He recognized the stunning color from his readings. “I thought it was poisonous?”

Frigga smiled. “Like many things, it’s only harmful when it grows without care.”

He cut a small slice and held it delicately in his hands. The inside was bright and the skin was crisp, crunching slightly as he ate it.

“How much do I need?”

“You can transform.”

Green and golden shimmers surrounded his body as he shrunk down and left a small black cat in his place.

Frigga smiled.

I wasn’t at the announcement. Who has time for gatherings when there’s gathering to do? Herbs and powders waited!

Besides, I still heard everything in the market. Odin had gathered everyone and announced that his youngest son, Prince Loki, would be wed to the one who is deemed worthy through a cat chase. Anyone who could get a small golden key from the cat’s neck and open a gate near the palace doors would blah blah blah.

Who had time for people? They were messy and violent, but the forest was calming as always as I wandered about, searching for new ingredients for my next experiment. For some, the forest is a dark, desolate dwelling. To me, it’s home. Every plant and leaf welcomed me in its shade as I strolled along. I wanted to get a shell of a hatched egg before the sun set and I knew a finch nest was nearby.

The tree I remembered the nest being on was as tall and majestic as every. As I climbed, the leaves brushed up against my skin and the branches scratched me slightly, but the wind and sense of freedom I got from the height made it all worth it. The nest was abandoned, full of the leaves that had fallen since the chicks flew out. Maybe it would be reused next season, but for now, it was exactly what I needed. I gathered some of the leftover shells and began the climb down.

A small rustle along the forest floor stopped me mid-motion. A shadow was gliding, no, trudging across the ground. I silently settled myself on a branch and watched. Approaching a situation with no information wasn’t commendable, so watching was the best option for now. As it got closer, the shape got more and more discernable. Small…4-legged…black fur…golden scruff… I relaxed as it slowly became clear it was a cat. A cat that inched along the leaves and feel at the base of the tree I was on and stopped moving. Frowning, I started going back down. Was it hurt? If so, I couldn’t leave it here. A hurt small cat wouldn’t survive the night unless it had some sort of shelter.

But before I could reach the ground, the cat was covered in a green and gold shimmer. I froze again. The small creature grew slowly until it was larger than I was and as the shimmers disappeared, I could see clearly that it was the youngest prince. Not to say that Prince Loki was running around as a cat to escape marriage but Prince Loki was definitely running around as a cat to escape marriage. Now that he was clearly Asgardian, I couldn’t see the key around his neck but what I thought was scruff on a cat was definitely a chain. What I could see was a gaping would on his stomach. Likely from hired hunters trying to get the proposal.

The biggest question became, now what?

If I got down, he would definitely be suspicious and I didn’t want to face a suspicious, injured god alone at dusk in a far off place of the forest.

On the other hand, he was still an injured creature in a forest that was quickly getting dark. How well could he defend himself from other animals and get back to the palace without bleeding out?

Getting eggshells had gotten a lot more complicated.


	2. Chapter 2

Loki didn’t know how he would get out of this predicament. Here he was, lying under the tree in a strange part of the forest he was fairly sure he’d never seen before for all of his exploring, wounded, slowly losing daylight and consciousness. He had forgotten to eat the moon thimbleberry today and it ruined his focus when the hunters came, meaning he got injured before running away. These Asgardian women were barbarians, he scowled. He admired cutthroat people, but as the victim of their attentions, he may have to change his mind.

Whatever.

He needed to get back to the palace as fast as possible.

He could hear rustling all around him in the forest as the leaves above him shook slightly with the evening breeze. Some small animals were moving about the branches before quickly scurrying away to another tree.

The first thing he had to do was orient himself. How far did he run and from where? He looked around the forest floor until he spotted a small bloodstain. Ah. Well it turns out there’s one advantage from bleeding out of your guts.

Loki braced himself on the tree and stood up; however, as soon as he took a step, he collapsed onto his knees. Thank Odin nobody was around to see the Prince of Asgard on his knees.

The fading daylight provided another problem: how would he see the small splatters of blood on leaves without seeing them?

The more he thought about his options, becoming a cat again seemed like his best bet to get home. Seeing better, stronger sense of smell, less of a trail…but it would take longer and there was no guarantee he would manage to get back. Well he wouldn’t get anywhere the way he was currently positioned. Trying to stand up again, his legs nearly gave way before he caught himself on the tree again. Maybe walking as a cat would be slightly easier too.

“Stupid hunters. Stupid plan. Stupid forest,” he muttered to himself as he focused his thoughts. Gathering his seidr, he called to mind the words of the spell, his vision blurred for a moment, and when he came to, he was a cat once more. As such, he could now hear the rustling in the leaves was not of a small animal. He smelled…a human?

I had climbed up higher to try and remain hidden and find another branch to jump to but to no avail. Some creatures on the other side of the tree had done so yet when I crossed, I could see no path. I had resigned myself to waiting until Prince Loki had left, when I suddenly couldn’t see him. There was a flash of green and I could no longer see the top of his head. I crept down the tree, trying to get a closer look, but I wasn’t the only one looking. Glowing green eyes stared back up at me and I stared into them. _Did he know?_ Loki—the cat—limped to the base of the tree and sat down. _Did he know?_ Those intelligent eyes never left my person. _Did he know?_ I climbed down the rest of the way and hopped to the ground, staring at the cat that stared at me. He meowed and the tension drained out of the air. If he was trying to pass off as a random cat, he likely didn’t know.

“Hey kitty,” I called out softly. It didn’t edge back as I shuffled forward. “You lost little guy?”

He meowed again, this time with a hint of a cry in his voice.

“Are you hurt?” I asked, playing ignorant. Of course he was hurt. He had a huge gash on his stomach. At this point, I was close enough to reach out and pet him. His fur was matted from the time in the forest but still soft to the touch.

In this sort of spell, would it match the state of his hair? His injuries were transferred between forms, what happened to his tail? Magic had fascinated me my whole life but all I had managed to learn thus far was some alchemy and—no don’t think about that right now, I chided myself. It’s a big decision. No need to rush it just because you saw magic up close.

I put my basket down on the forest floor and reached out to the prince.

“C’mon kitty. You won’t last long in a wild night. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

It was up to him to decide. Come with me, or try to last by himself. I didn’t know how much of his intellect he retained whilst a cat, but one of the options was definitely the smarter choice.

He limped to my basket and crawled in.

I let out a sigh of relief and got up. Time to find the way home.

I didn’t fully relax until I saw the outline of my humble abode. Finally, we were fully safe. I lit the lamp hanging by my door to cast a friendly light around my garden. Despite the circumstances, I smiled softly at the plants and sprouts. There was nothing like seeing the literal fruit of your labor.

Once inside, I lit the main room and placed the basket down on a small table. Time to play healer.

Loki was complaisant as I took him out and placed him on the wood. He lay on his side as cats do and I could clearly see the wound. It didn’t seem to be bleeding anymore but the fur was stained and stuck all around.

First thing first, the fur had to go.

The only thing I had around was a pair of scissors. I washed it best I could and offered a quick prayer to Frigga. May I not royally screw up her son by trying to be helpful.

Once the fur was gone and blood washed away, the gash was more visible. And I had no clue where to go from here. I stared at the flesh. I knew of legends that would have been able to close it up in seconds, but my magic was largely lacking in most fields. Healing? The most I could do was apply a poultice but I didn’t know if I even had the right ingredients. Why wasn’t I more advanced? One can practice for millennia and never get anywhere without the proper push…

My eyes wandered to the book I had found. Well, the chest the book was in. Its aura was dangerous yet alluring; it promised power and knowledge and it had taken immense willpower to not open it as soon as I unearthed it from the garden, and now that willpower was slowly fading. My eyes drifted back to Loki. He was watching me intensely. Did he know what I was thinking?

I shook my head and went about preparing a simple poultice. A simple weak poultice. As I strode to and fro across the house, gathering ingredients, the book stayed on my mind. How much could one read hurt?

After I applied a generous amount of paste, I closed the Prince in a separate room for privacy in case he turned back in his sleep and sat down in the living room once more.

Power…

Knowledge…

Maybe I would become more powerful than the Prince himself, I mused.

I went outside to clear my traitorous thoughts. Dark magic always came with a price; that’s why it was illegal after all.

The garden looked pristine as it did earlier, except for some moon thimbleberry weeds creeping in. Ah well. I could take care of them tomorrow under better lighting.

I stared up at the sky. Or maybe I was staring down at the sky, strapped in by gravity. So many galaxies. Universes. Realms. And I knew nothing of the one I was on. What sort of life was one without knowledge?

I walked back inside.

Maybe it was time I brushed up on my reading.


	3. Chapter 3

Loki was getting impatient. It was likely past midnight, but he could still see a shadow flickering about the main room. Maybe she was asleep but the occasional sniff or catch of breath made him think otherwise. What was she doing up this late? He had to sneak out and return to the palace before anyone could notice his absence, but she wasn’t giving him the chance. In human form, Loki paced the room as he tried to stay awake and outlast her. What could she even _be_ doing? Nothing could be so urgent as to take so many hours in the middle of the night.

He glanced at the door. Would it be so strange for a cat to open a door? He strode towards it. Surely an intelligent cat would be able to use a simple handle; maybe he would even be able to get her to sleep sooner. Cats were calming creatures after all. She was unlikely to be suspicious of a cat being affectionate towards someone who showed it a kind hand and it was likely to let him leave earlier.

He transformed and walked into the light.

Time passed in a haze, neither floors nor ceilings existed anymore. The room was gone. All walls were gone. No borders existed for me. I could see _everything_. All the stars, galaxies, people, spells were laid before me for my pleasure. Should I peruse power by fear or love? Healing or destruction? Universes or matter? Nothing mattered anymore except the next word, the next page, the next chapter…I could find out the reasons behind every action, every person, the very purpose of the universe… The world lay at my feet, mine to save or mine to burn. All _mine._ I just had to keep reading. Nothing else was as important. Keep reading. Keep reading. Read of minds. Read of science. Read of spells. Read of—

A small, furry body interrupted me.

Loki had jumped on the book, blocking my sight to the precious knowledge, the unbreakable power.

“Loki,“ I said in annoyance.

The head snapped to me, meeting my gaze. Wait. What did I just say.

Oh shit.

He wasn’t supposed to know I knew.

Shit shit shit. How do I fix this?

“Loki’s…cat, huh?” I bumbled. The gaze stayed on me, suspicious and sharp, but it wasn’t as heated. I took the key on the chain in my hand to stop it from trembling.

Not only was it a very close call, but the book was still partially holding me in its trance.

I shoved Loki off the pages and slammed it shut, breathing heavily as I rested my head on it.

No wonder it was illegal. So much knowledge made my head dizzy and I would bet anything I remembered less than half of it.

Illegal.

The prince was walking around my feet, no doubt trying to see the title.

Oh no. That _cannot_ happen.

I picked the book up as casually as I could and walked over to the chest. I may have slammed the lid shut too quickly but that could probably be put down to tiredness.

I stared at the cat again.

What was Prince Loki’s plan here? Avoiding marriage was one thing, getting hunted was another. Maybe he knew I would find him. Maybe he knew I was doing illegal magic and this was an elaborate plot to stamp it out. Maybe—

_Stop._

Paranoia was setting in.

Everything was a trap.

The house was likely surrounded.

Dear Odin, they would take me away.

I’d live in the dungeons.

_STOP._

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to be rational.

Prince Loki was known to be self-serving; it was highly unlikely he would be willing to be wounded for a simple witch to be caught. He didn’t see the title of the book. He didn’t know I was in the tree. He didn’t know I was thinking of reading that book.

Did he?

He was staring at me.

I leaned on the chest. Did all books make people feel this afraid of being discovered?

I looked around the room with fresh eyes.

I could turn that chair into any animal of my choosing. I could make the plates disappear and appear whenever I needed them, but clean. I could make my cauldron bubble with poison or life-saving elixir. I could save the mice trapped in my wall without moving a muscle or kill them and reanimate the corpses. I could change the matter of any item in this room. I could make my garden the most dangerous on Asgard. I could…I could…

My gaze wandered around and focused on Loki. What could I do with a living person? Could I manipulate the very Prince of Lies? Could I entrance him to the point of teaching me all he knew? I may have the knowledge of doing anything I want, but I lacked the skills, ingredients, or guidance. That would take time and resources I didn’t have available to me. Of course there was an easy way to get both…

My gaze dropped to the golden chain. I dropped to my knees and stared at it hungrily. It could give me everything. Everything I ever desired. I could help people. I could bring nations to their knees. I could eradicate diseases, punish evildoers…

I didn’t realize I was grasping the key until Loki meowed and clawed at my hand. If I really wanted to take the key, he wouldn’t be able to stop me. Injured as he was, he was likely straining himself already…

My hand unclenched when I saw blood gathering again. I got as far away as I could from the small creature. What was I doing? The Prince had no wish to marry. Why else would he go through this scheme? What was I going to do? Ruin a person’s life for my own wants? I shook my head to clear it. This wasn’t me nor was it who I wanted to be.

I looked back at Loki. He was lying on his side, licking the wound that had reopened and likely irritating it.

“C’mon kitty,” I said tiredly. I just wanted to go to sleep. How I wish I never opened that damned book. “Let’s patch you up.”

He let me approach and I was about to apply another layer of the poultice before I happened to glance at the chest again.

Well, maybe I could try one thing.

I closed my eyes and focused on the skin beneath my fingertips, willing magic to flow through and patch it up. _Heal,_ I begged. _Please work._

I didn’t want to open my eyes. This was a stupid idea. Sure the spell was fairly simple, but I wasn’t practiced and was attempting this on the Prince of Asgard. I skimmed the area with my hand and opened my eyes in shock. The fur had grown back and the wound was still there, but it was much smaller and closed over.

I grinned as joy overtook me.

“It worked!” I laughed as I threw the cat in the air before hugging it close. “It worked!”

The poor creature started wriggling and I remembered that this was Loki. I had no doubt that he would leave my house now as soon as he could so I accidentally left out a map on my desk and some leftovers from my dinner.

“Alright kitty, I’m going to head to bed now,” I couldn’t stop grinning still.

Unable to help myself, I crouched down again and ran my fingers over the wound. Such a simple spell. Such simple magic.

This was a wonderful start. I blew out the lights and lay down in my room. A truly wonderful start.

Loki transformed back as soon as he was sure the woman was asleep. He inspected his wound to see it healed considerably, making the rest of the process much easier to speed up. Her healing skills left much to be desired but from the way she was bouncing around, it was a huge feat for someone of her inferior skill set. Soon it was nothing more than a scar and bad memory. He took several bites from the food she had left out, wincing slightly at the taste, as he inspected the map she had on her table under the light of the clouded moon. He wasn’t as far from the palace as he initially thought, which meant the journey would be quick and easy, except it was still dark outside and he would have no way of keeping track once he was outside.

Although, the map should be able to help him make it back towards the tree that had a note of “get nest next eve” on the map and he could likely find his way back using the blood stains. He glanced at the window. Unless there was to be rain…

No time to waste then.

He carefully memorized the path and was preparing to exit the house when a chest along the wall caught his eye. There was an aura about it of dark magic, making it the most interesting item in the room, but enough time was wasted. Maybe he could inspect it another time.

Stepping outside, something else grasped his attention. Her garden had moon thimbleberries growing in it. What luck. He took a fruit from a rear branch and ate it as fast as he could. His transformation would ensure he could find the blood trails in the dark, even if it drizzled. The taste was slightly off from those that his mother gave him but that was to be expected with different gardens.

After ensuring there was no trace of his presence left, he took off into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

When I woke up, I immediately tried to go back to sleep. Nothing on this world was enough for me. I wanted more. I deserved more! With so many universes to explore, it was unjust that I was stuck here and destined to remain so for eternity. I was destined for more; I knew of it now. The book hadn’t fallen into my hands by accident.

I lay there for half the day, staring at the ceiling. The things I had to do now didn’t seem to matter as much. Why was I so powerless still? I had more knowledge, true, but more desperation than ever. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen at all. I was supposed to be happier now. Why did everything seem so bland now? I had a garden to take care of—my own little universe nearby, but what did it matter on the scale of worlds and galaxies? So what if I kept a plant alive a couple months longer than it was destined for? I couldn’t make a difference where I was. I would never make a difference. I should have taken that key when I had the chance. This was hopeless. Maybe I should get rid of the book altogether.

I turned on my side and kept staring blankly at the desolate room. What was I even doing here? The growing light of the afternoon made my head ache and I closed my eyes. Maybe I would matter in my dreams.

Loki felt sick.

Not slightly nauseous, not under the weather.

Sick. Terribly and horribly sick.

He hadn’t been able to eat this morning and everything he had yesterday had come up already. The healers said his temperature wasn’t too high for an Asgardian but it was having the effect of one far worse. Nothing in his system was working right; everything was either going haywire or slowly shutting down.

Loki was smart enough to know what that meant for his lifespan.

Worst of all, nobody knew what was wrong with the younger prince.

The worst enemy of science and magic was not knowing.

None of the diagnoses the infirmary had matched up with sufficient symptoms he displayed. None of the sicknesses were a plausible enough possibility. Everything fell short.

He was going to die.

Sleep felt dangerous.

He didn’t want to die.

What had he done wrong? What was driving death to his door?

No matter how much he tried to avoid it, sleep came to claim him.

He wondered if this was what death felt like.

I slept through the day and woke up in the middle of the night. Although my head throbbed and mind numbed, my limbs were aching to move. The bones and blood themselves seemed to pull me to the door, driving me to take a walk.

The night was quiet as I stepped out. The moon was fading in and out of sight. It would likely rain soon. A chorus of shadows sang the song of nighttime as I meandered about and I almost felt like one of them. Maybe this is where I belonged. Far from knowledge. Far from power. Far from truth. Ignorance is truly bliss, but I still hesitated. Ignorance was still just that: ignorance. Was it worth doing anything if you knew nothing? Why did one work hard if not for the future fruits? Who ever grew a healthy plant without knowing how? When did someone prosper without any sort of smarts? Life is worth nothing if you don’t know why you’re living, and knowing why, how, where, and when is the key to finding that out.

I needed more. I needed to keep going until I knew everything. It’s an impossible task, I knew that too, but it was one worth dying for.

I ran home and threw open the chest. Tossing the book on my table, I ripped it open and began devouring the words.

May I be destroyed, but at least I will die better than I’ve lived before.

The healers told him he had less than a month.

He ordered them out of his room to mourn in private but there was nothing in him. He felt empty.

Nights and days he had tried to figure out himself what was the problem and what was the cure, but there was nothing applicable in neither his collection nor the library. If the knowledge wasn’t to be found there, it couldn’t possibly be anywhere.

What sickness could have possibly caused this? How had he gotten it? What was the cure?

He had none of those answers.

Worst of all, his mother hadn’t been able to visit him. Although she is the most powerful healer in this world and the next, she was also the queen and All-Mother, which meant her safety came first. Asgard couldn’t risk losing an important royal.

That meant he was alone.

Dying, confused, and alone.

May Valhalla greet him well.

After the first week, I started reading with a smaller candle. I found out fairly quickly that once I started reading, I got sucked in and it was impossible for me to snap out. Time disappeared and hours went by far too quickly to keep track of. I was only freed the first time because Loki had jumped on the page. The second time wasn’t as kind; I suddenly fainted and when I came to, my entire being was in severe pain and the book lay open on the floor. Dehydration after several days of reading straight would do that. Now, whenever the candle burned out, I was plunged into darkness and able to read no longer, which made it far easier to keep track of time.

Once I started learning again, the world didn’t seem as pointless. It still was in the grand scheme of things, but there were so many things even on it, that it satisfied me to continue here. I got my garden in order and often went to it to digest what I read that day. My potions got better with all the practice I was doing, but spells were still difficult. I was still lacking a teacher. But that was a problem for another day. As of now, I was content to master my current skills.

Gradually, I started going to the market to share my successes. My potions were far superior to my previous, ancient “healing” tactics and could heal nearly any problem my customers had. My trade grew quickly as rumors spread of my skill and I couldn’t help but be proud yet disappointed. Imagine how much more I could give if I knew even more. I would have increased by reading if it didn’t leave me less time for brewing, but some sacrifices had to be made. I was soon to be the best known alchemist in Asgard.

“My Prince!” the maid threw open the doors. “We have news! There is hope yet!”


End file.
